I ask that the Minister come into the House to clarify such comments. If it is the case that these reports were carried out by the hospital groups and are politically motivated, that raises serious questions about the capacity of the CEO of the HSE. There are already questions hanging over him and the Minister. I ask the Minister to come to the House to clarify the position. He said an examination and evaluation of the maternity hospitals was being conducted in order that a national strategy would be devised. He said each of the 19 maternity units was being examined and that the Department was also examining national and international evidence of best practice in order to determine how to move forward.

The Senator is over time.

Surely that confirms everything that Senator Marc MacSharry has been saying in this House in the past few weeks. The Minister started by dismissing it and then went on to confirm it. That is not the way for a Minister to act. The parties opposite did so poorly in the recent election because the people do not trust what they are saying to them. We need transparency, straight talking and honesty from Ministers. I appeal to the Minister for Health to return to the House to outline the factual position.